[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in IT, today announced the opening of its new regional headquarters in Singapore, marking 20 years of operations in the country. The new office will house Cisco‘s operations for Singapore and the region, including operations, sales, marketing, human resources, finance and Cisco Services. It will also feature a Customer Briefing Center (CBC), where Cisco’s latest technologies and solutions are available for demonstrations to, and proof-of-concepts with customers and partners. Singapore is the headquarters for Cisco's operations in Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China.

Located at UE Biz Hub, within the Changi Business Park, Cisco‘s new office brings together 1,000 employees from Cisco’s previous four offices around the island. Reinforcing Cisco's commitment to a connected workplace and sustainability, the new office in Singapore combines intelligent building structures and efficient energy consumption. Some of the green initiatives by Cisco include:

· Using Cisco TelePresence® to reduce global travel: saving 700,000 tons of attributable CO2 emissions,
· Implementing motion based sensors for energy efficient control of lighting,
· Quarterly e-waste exercise: responsibly disposing electronics and recycling where possible,
· Power down system: IP phone screens are switched off after hours and on weekends,
· Reduction in paper use: badge and password-access printing to limit waste,
· Utilization-based space allocation, which combined with mobility technologies enable employees to sit at any desk, on any floor, hence reducing real estate footprint, using less infrastructure resources, and providing flexibility to allow for team expansion.

Cisco celebrates 20 years in Singapore this year having played a part in helping Singaporeans go online for the first time in 1994. Over the years, Cisco has introduced leading-edge technologies that have transformed the way Singaporeans work, live, play and learn. For example, in 2000, Cisco and IDA created Singapore's first Internet Home, completely transforming a four-room Housing Development Board (HDB) flat in Bishan. The Internet Home, at that time, boasted always-on, broadband Internet access connecting nearly every household appliance and device in the flat.

Cisco has also made significant contributions to developing networking technology skills training in Singapore, through its partnership with 15 educational institutions through the Cisco Networking Academy™ Program. Over 46,000 students in Singapore have been trained using the Program since 1998.

The Networking Academy® Program is the flagship of Cisco‘s social investment programs worldwide. The Networking Academy uses a public-private partnership model to create the ’world‘s largest classroom’ working with educational institutions, nonprofits, governments and other international and local agencies. The program teaches students worldwide the skills needed to build, design and maintain networks, thereby improving their career prospects while meeting the global demand for networking professionals. Cisco has established over 10,000 academies in 165 countries, helping individuals build ICT skills and prepare for industry-recognized certifications and entry-level ICT careers in most industries. Students develop foundational skills in ICT while acquiring career skills in problem-solving, collaboration and critical thinking.